The present invention pertains to art for using a computer network or communications network, and in particular to art for easily specifying a physical location or a logical location on such a network, such locations, for example, including uniform resource locators (hereinafter xe2x80x9cURLsxe2x80x9d) and electronic mail (hereinafter xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d) addresses in the case of the Internet, telephone numbers in the case of a telephone network, and so forth.
There are a wide variety of services available on computer networks, such as, for example, the Internet or various intranets, wherein information is provided or information is transferred, such as in connection with those services and resources available via the World Wide Web (hereinafter xe2x80x9cWWWxe2x80x9d), e-mail, file transfer protocol (hereinafter xe2x80x9cFTPxe2x80x9d), and the like. In using such services, it is necessary for a user to specify the location on the network of the source of any such information which is to be provided and the destination to which any such information is to be transferred.
For example, to access (as used here, xe2x80x9caccessxe2x80x9d means to make a connection to a network location, e.g., a website, at which time a xe2x80x9chome page,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cindex page,xe2x80x9d or the like may be returned by default to and opened by the computer that initiated the connection) and be able to see the contents of a particular website on the Internet using a WWW browser-type application (as used herein, xe2x80x9capplicationxe2x80x9d is used synonymously with xe2x80x9capplication programxe2x80x9d), the user must specify for the browser-type application (hereinafter xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d) the URL representing the address of that website. Furthermore, to place a telephone call from a computer, the user must specify for the application that will dial the telephone number (hereinafter xe2x80x9cdialup applicationxe2x80x9d) the telephone number that is to be dialed (here and below, where we refer to xe2x80x9cdialingxe2x80x9d of a telephone number, this is meant in its most general sense of placing a telephone call, regardless of the purpose of the call, e.g. voice, modem transmission, facsimile transmission, etc., and regardless of the method by which the call is placed, e.g. rotary-type pulses, touch-tone-type tones, etc.).
The most typical method for specifying a URL is to type in the URL from a keyboard. However, since URLs quite frequently consist of strings of more than ten, and often even more than twenty, characters, and since these character strings are moreover frequently such that they are not easily remembered by a human being, typing in a URL by hand is not at all an enjoyable task for the average user. The same can be said of typing in a telephone number.
As one method for simplifying the specification of URLs, the URL listing capability of WWW browsers, referred to variously as xe2x80x9cBookmarks,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cFavorites,xe2x80x9d or the like, is known. However, as the number of entries in such a list grows, not only does it become increasingly difficult to quickly select the desired entry from among the others in the list, but it also becomes increasingly difficult to determine which list entry corresponds to which website. Furthermore, this capability cannot be taken advantage of with respect to URLs not entered in such a list, and in order to enter a URL into such a list in the first place, a user must either type in the URL by hand, or if utilizing a link from another website must first access the URL of the other website.
Furthermore, it may happen that while carrying out some task or the other at a particular application one wishes to obtain information pertaining to that task from a network. For example, while creating a document on the subject of intellectual property within a word-processing-type application (hereinafter xe2x80x9cword processorxe2x80x9d) one may wish to visit the website of a government patent office to take advantage of resources or services offered by that patent office, or while creating a document on the subject of automobiles one may wish to visit the website of a particular automobile manufacturer to investigate the specifications of a particular type of automobile, and so forth. In such a case, a user must first stop what he is doing at the application he is currently using, and must then launch (as used here, xe2x80x9claunchxe2x80x9d means to cause execution of an application, or when the application has previously been executed and is currently running in background, as may be the case in multiple-program-loading-type or multitasking-type environments, may also by implication be taken to mean making an application running in background the active application) a WWW browser and specify the URL of the desired website. This represents quite an inconvenience to the user. The same is true with respect to dialing a telephone number.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to make it possible to specify a location on a communications network through a process that is both simple and user-friendly.
Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to make it possible to specify a location on a communications network from an arbitrary application and receive network information services involving that location through a simple process.
One version of the present invention is directed to a simple and user-friendly process for specifying a location on a communications network. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a system that makes it possible to specify a location on a communications network through such a simple and user-friendly process. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to an apparatus that makes it-possible to specify a location on a communications network through such a simple and user-friendly process. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a computer-readable recording medium containing a program capable of causing a computer to specify a location on a communications network through such a simple and user-friendly process. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave capable of causing a computer to specify a location on a communications network through such a simple and user-friendly process. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a server that specifies a location on a communications network for use by a client computer through such a simple and user-friendly process. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a process of operating such a server. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a computer-readable recording medium containing a program for causing a computer to function as such a server. Furthermore, another version of the present invention is directed to a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for causing a computer to function as such a server.
The system in one version of the present invention is a system for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification system being equipped with a symbol receiving component that receives, from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from an application arbitrarily selected by a user to the exterior of this selected application, a symbol arbitrarily specified by the aforesaid user at the aforesaid selected application, and a converting component that converts the aforesaid symbol received by the aforesaid symbol receiving component into location information that represents a location previously set in correspondence to this symbol, and employs this location information to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
That is, the system in one version of the present invention is a system for specifying a location on a communications network so as to make that location available for use by a network application, such as, for example, a WWW browser, an e-mail handling application (hereinafter xe2x80x9ce-mailerxe2x80x9d), or the like, on a computer, and is equipped with a symbol receiving component that receives a symbol arbitrarily specified by a user, and a converting component that converts the received symbol into location information representing a location previously set in correspondence thereto and that employs this location information to specify a location for use by the network application.
Here, the symbol referred to above may be anything capable of being displayed at the man-machine interface of a computer; for example, one may use text data, vector graphic data, bitmapped image data, audio data, a file, a folder, a directory, a path, and so forth. The symbol will preferably call to mind some meaning or concept for the user. Such a symbol will typically be a word, phrase, or sentence expressed in a language used by human beings, a graphical pattern designed by a human being, or the like. Trademarks, service marks, company names, personal names, titles, logotypes, advertising slogans, and the like are suitable for use as such symbols.
The aforesaid symbol receiving component is such that it can receive, or capture, a symbol from a computer memory area capable of being used to transfer data from an arbitrary application to the exterior of that application. When the user places a symbol in such a memory area, the symbol receiving component can capture that symbol. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid memory area comprises a clipboard-type memory area (hereinafter xe2x80x9cclipboardxe2x80x9d), and the present system receives an arbitrary symbol from the clipboard after the user selects that symbol and copies it to the clipboard. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, a pictorial representation (e.g., an icon, window, etc.) representing the present system is displayed at a desktop-like display (hereinafter xe2x80x9cdesktopxe2x80x9d) at the man-machine interface of the computer, and the aforesaid memory area comprises a memory area in which data from the aforesaid selected application is retained when a user drags and drops (i.e., using a mouse-type interface) the aforesaid data onto the aforesaid pictorial representation, the present system receiving the symbol by way of this memory area when the user drags and drops the symbol onto the pictorial representation.
The present system permits a location corresponding to a symbol to be specified for use by a network application as a result of the user""s having specified this symbol at an arbitrary application and having caused this symbol to be passed to the present system. Accordingly, so long as the user is familiar with a symbol he is able to access the network location corresponding to that symbol. Corporate trade names and trademarks, personal names, and the like are typically used as such symbols, and the user is able to access the websites of such companies and people, or send e-mail to such companies and people, merely by specifying the appropriate symbols.
In addition, it is not necessary that the user specify the symbol from a network application, specification of the symbol being possible from any arbitrary application. For example, by selecting the name of a company from within a word processor application and placing this in a clipboard, a WWW browser can be made to automatically launch and access the website of that company.
In a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid computer is equipped with an input method editor that possesses a buffer, this buffer receiving and temporarily retaining therein a character or characters entered by a user from a keyboard-type input apparatus, and that transfers this retained character or these retained characters to a specified application, converting the character or characters should conversion thereof be necessary and not converting the character or characters should conversion thereof not be necessary, and the aforesaid memory area comprises the aforesaid buffer of the aforesaid input method editor.
Here, the aforesaid symbol may comprise text data, or it may comprise graphic data, bitmapped image data, or audio data.
In a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid converting component is equipped with a search requesting component that generates a search request for the symbol received by the aforesaid symbol receiving component, a searching component that possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, and that searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid symbol in response to a search request from the aforesaid search requesting component, and a location information receiving component that receives the aforesaid location information retrieved by the aforesaid searching component, and that specifies a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
Here, the aforesaid symbol receiving component, and the search requesting component and the location information receiving component of the aforesaid converting component, may exist within the aforesaid computer, and the aforesaid searching component of the aforesaid converting component may exist within a computer other than the aforesaid computer but capable of communicating with the aforesaid computer. Alternatively, the aforesaid symbol receiving component and the aforesaid converting component may both entirely exist within the aforesaid computer.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid converting component possesses a searching component that exists at a prescribed location on the aforesaid network and that possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, and possesses a search requesting component that generates a search request for the symbol received by the aforesaid symbol receiving component and that passes to the aforesaid network application the aforesaid search request and previously prepared information representing the aforesaid prescribed location of the aforesaid searching component, as a result of which the aforesaid network application operates, gains access to the aforesaid searching component, and causes the aforesaid search request to be passed to the aforesaid searching component, wherein the aforesaid searching component searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid received symbol in response to the aforesaid search request from the aforesaid network application, and sends the aforesaid retrieved location information to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which a location corresponding to the aforesaid received symbol is specified for use by the aforesaid network application.
Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid converting component possesses a cache file in which there are accumulated sets of symbols and location information that have been converted at some time in the past.
In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid symbol receiving component possesses a symbol link web in which there are accumulated a plurality of mutually linked symbols set by the user, and a symbol selecting component that selects for use in place of the aforesaid received symbol another symbol linked to the aforesaid received symbol at the aforesaid symbol link web, and that passes this selected other symbol to the aforesaid converting component.
The process in one version of the present invention is a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification process comprising a symbol receiving step in which a symbol arbitrarily specified by a user at an application arbitrarily selected by the aforesaid user is received from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from this selected application to the exterior of the aforesaid selected application, and a converting step in which the aforesaid symbol received at the aforesaid symbol receiving step is converted into location information that represents a location previously set in correspondence to this symbol, and this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The apparatus in one version of the present invention is an apparatus for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification apparatus being provided on the aforesaid computer and being equipped with a symbol receiving component that receives, from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from an application arbitrarily selected by a user to the exterior of this selected application, a symbol arbitrarily specified by the aforesaid user at the aforesaid selected application, a search requesting component that sends a search request for the aforesaid symbol received by the aforesaid symbol receiving component to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving component that receives search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, employs this location information to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid memory area comprises a clipboard.
Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid apparatus possesses a pictorial representation representing the aforesaid network location specification apparatus on a display at the man-machine interface of the aforesaid computer, and the aforesaid memory area comprises a memory area in which data from the aforesaid selected application is retained when a user drags and drops the aforesaid data onto the aforesaid pictorial representation.
In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid computer is equipped with an input method editor that possesses a buffer, this buffer receiving and temporarily retaining therein a character or characters entered by a user from a keyboard-type input apparatus, and that transfers this retained character or these retained characters to a specified application, converting the character or characters should conversion thereof be necessary and not converting the character or characters should conversion thereof not be necessary, and the aforesaid memory area comprises the aforesaid buffer of the aforesaid input method editor.
The process in one version of the present invention is a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification process being carried out by the aforesaid computer and comprising a symbol receiving step in which a symbol arbitrarily specified by a user at an application arbitrarily selected by the aforesaid user is received from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from the aforesaid selected application to the exterior of the aforesaid selected application, a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol received at the aforesaid symbol receiving step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer-readable recording medium in one version of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium embodied within which there is a program for causing a computer to carry out a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, the aforesaid process comprising a symbol receiving step in which a symbol arbitrarily specified by a user at an application arbitrarily selected by the aforesaid user is received from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from the aforesaid selected application to the exterior of the aforesaid selected application, a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol received at the aforesaid symbol receiving step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave in one version of the present invention is a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for causing a computer to carry out an operation in which a location on a communications network is specified for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, this computer data signal comprising a program code segment for executing a symbol receiving step in which a symbol arbitrarily specified by a user at an application arbitrarily selected by the aforesaid user is received from a memory area of the aforesaid computer that is capable of being used to transfer data from the aforesaid selected application to the exterior of the aforesaid selected application, a program code segment for executing a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol received at the aforesaid symbol receiving step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a program code segment for executing a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The server in one version of the present invention is a server for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a client computer that utilizes the aforesaid network, this network location specification server being capable of communicating with the aforesaid client computer and being equipped with a search request receiving component that receives from the aforesaid client computer a search request for a symbol specified by a user at the aforesaid client computer, a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, and a searching component that searches the aforesaid database for location information corresponding to the symbol specified by the aforesaid user and returns the results thereof to the aforesaid client computer in response to the search request received by the aforesaid search request receiving component.
The process of operating a server in one version of the present invention is a process of operating a server for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a client computer that utilizes the aforesaid network, this network location specification server operating process comprising a search request receiving step in which a search request for a symbol specified by a user at the aforesaid client computer is received from the aforesaid client computer, and a searching step in which a database, accumulated within which there are a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, is accessed, the aforesaid database is searched for location information corresponding to the symbol specified by the aforesaid user, and the results thereof are returned to the aforesaid client computer in response to the received search request.
The computer-readable recording medium of one version of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium embodied within which there is a program for causing a computer to function as a server for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a client computer that utilizes the aforesaid network, the aforesaid server being capable of communicating with the aforesaid client computer and being equipped with a search request receiving component that receives from the aforesaid client computer a search request for a symbol specified by a user at the aforesaid client computer, a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, and a searching component that searches the aforesaid database for location information corresponding to the symbol specified by the aforesaid user and returns the results thereof to the aforesaid client computer in response to the search request received by the aforesaid search request receiving component.
The computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave of one version of the present invention is computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for causing a computer to function as a server for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a client computer that utilizes the aforesaid network, this computer data signal comprising a program code segment for executing a step in which a search request for a symbol specified by a user at the aforesaid client computer is received from the aforesaid client computer, and a program code segment for executing a step in which a database, accumulated within which there are a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, is accessed, the aforesaid database is searched for location information corresponding to the symbol specified by the aforesaid user, and the results thereof are returned to the aforesaid client computer in response to the aforesaid received search request.
The apparatus in one version of the present invention is an apparatus for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification apparatus being provided on the aforesaid computer and being equipped with a symbol capturing component that captures an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer when such symbol is so specified, a search requesting component that sends a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured by the aforesaid symbol capturing component to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving component that receives search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, employs this location information to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
Here, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing a symbol copied to a clipboard by a user at the aforesaid second application.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid apparatus possesses a pictorial representation representing the aforesaid network location specification apparatus on a display at the man-machine interface of the aforesaid computer, and the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing a symbol dragged and dropped onto the aforesaid pictorial representation from the aforesaid second application by a user at the aforesaid display of the man-machine interface.
Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid computer is equipped with an input method editor that receives and temporarily retains therein a character or characters entered by a user from a keyboard-type input apparatus, and that transfers this retained character or these retained characters to the aforesaid second application, converting the character or characters should conversion thereof be necessary and not converting the character or characters should conversion thereof not be necessary, and the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing the character string retained in the aforesaid input method editor when the aforesaid user enters a prescribed key sequence from the aforesaid keyboard-type input apparatus.
The process in one version of the present invention is a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification process being carried out by the aforesaid computer and comprising a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer-readable recording medium in one version of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium embodied within which there is a program for causing a computer to carry out a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, the aforesaid process comprising a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave in one version of the present invention is a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for causing a computer to carry out an operation in which a location on a communications network is specified for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, this computer data signal comprising a program code segment for executing a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, a program code segment for executing a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is sent to a database existing either on the aforesaid computer or on the aforesaid network, and a program code segment for executing a location information receiving step in which search results returned from the aforesaid database pursuant to the aforesaid search request are received, and, in the event that location information representing a location on the aforesaid network corresponding to the aforesaid symbol is included within these search results, this location information is employed to specify a location corresponding to the aforesaid symbol for use by the aforesaid network application.
The apparatus in one version of the present invention is an apparatus for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification apparatus being provided on the aforesaid computer and equipped with a symbol capturing component that captures an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer when such symbol is so specified, and a search requesting component that creates a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured by the aforesaid symbol capturing component and passes the aforesaid search request and information representing the location of a prescribed server existing on the aforesaid network to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which the aforesaid network application operates and causes the aforesaid search request to be transmitted to the aforesaid server, wherein the aforesaid server possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol in response to the aforesaid search request from the aforesaid network application, and sends the aforesaid retrieved location information to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which a location corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol is specified for use by the aforesaid network application.
Here, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing a symbol copied to a clipboard by a user at the aforesaid second application.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid network location specification apparatus possesses a pictorial representation representing the aforesaid network location specification apparatus on a display at the man-machine interface of the aforesaid computer, and the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing a symbol dragged and dropped onto the aforesaid pictorial representation from the aforesaid second application by a user at the aforesaid display of the man-machine interface.
Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the aforesaid computer is equipped with an input method editor that receives and temporarily retains therein a character or characters entered by a user from a keyboard-type input apparatus, and that transfers this retained character or these retained characters to the aforesaid second application, converting the character or characters should conversion thereof be necessary and not converting the character or characters should conversion thereof not be necessary, and the aforesaid symbol capturing component is capable of capturing the character string retained in the aforesaid input method editor when the aforesaid user enters a prescribed key sequence from the aforesaid keyboard-type input apparatus.
The process in one version of the present invention is a process for specify a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network on a computer, this network location specification process being carried out by the aforesaid computer and comprising a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, and a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is created and the aforesaid search request and information representing the location of a prescribed server existing on the aforesaid network are passed to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which the aforesaid network application operates and causes the aforesaid search request to be transmitted to the aforesaid server, wherein the aforesaid server possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol in response to the aforesaid search request from the aforesaid network application, and sends the aforesaid retrieved location information to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which a location corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol is specified for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer-readable recording medium in one version of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium embodied within which there is a program for causing a computer to carry out a process for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, the aforesaid process comprising a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, and a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is created and the aforesaid search request and information representing the location of a prescribed server existing on the aforesaid network are passed to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which the aforesaid network application operates and causes the aforesaid search request to be transmitted to the aforesaid server, wherein the aforesaid server possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol in response to the aforesaid search request from the aforesaid network application, and sends the aforesaid retrieved location information to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which a location corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol is specified for use by the aforesaid network application.
The computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave in one version of the present invention is a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for causing a computer to carry out an operation in which a location on a communications network is specified for use by a network application for utilizing the aforesaid network, this computer data signal comprising a program code segment for executing a symbol capturing step in which an arbitrary symbol specified by a user at a second application different from the aforesaid network application on the aforesaid computer is captured when such symbol is so specified, and a program code segment for executing a search requesting step in which a search request for the aforesaid symbol captured at the aforesaid symbol capturing step is created and the aforesaid search request and information representing the location of a prescribed server existing on the aforesaid network are passed to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which the aforesaid network application operates and causes the aforesaid search request to be transmitted to the aforesaid server, wherein the aforesaid server possesses a database in which there are accumulated a multiplicity of sets of symbols and location information corresponding thereto, searches the aforesaid database and retrieves therefrom location information corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol in response to the aforesaid search request from the aforesaid network application, and sends the aforesaid retrieved location information to the aforesaid network application, as a result of which a location corresponding to the aforesaid captured symbol is specified for use by the aforesaid network application.
The system in one version of the present invention is a system for specifying a location on a network for use by a network application (e.g., a WWW browser, e-mailer, etc.) on a computer, and is equipped with:
(1) an input method editor (hereinafter xe2x80x9cIMExe2x80x9d) that receives and temporarily retains therein a character or characters entered by a user from a keyboard-type input apparatus of a computer, and that transfers this retained character or these retained characters to a specified application, converting the character or characters should conversion thereof be necessary and not converting the character or characters should conversion thereof not be necessary,
(2) a converting component that receives a character or characters, converts the received character or characters into location information that represents a location previously set in correspondence to this character or these characters, and employs this location information to specify a location corresponding to the received character or characters for use by a network application, and
(3) a determining component associated with the aforesaid IME or internal to the aforesaid IME that passes a character or characters retained in the IME to the aforesaid converting component when a user enters a prescribed key sequence from a keyboard-type input apparatus.
This network location specification system allows an arbitrary character or characters (a word, phrase, clause, sentence, or the like) to be passed to the converting component, the character or characters to be converted into corresponding network location information, and the network location information to be passed to a network application upon the pressing of a prescribed key when the user has entered the character or characters (a word, phrase, clause, sentence, or the like) by way of the IME at a word processor, tabular calculation-type application (hereinafter xe2x80x9cspreadsheetxe2x80x9d), or other arbitrary application. For example, it is possible to access the website of a company or individual, send e-mail to a company or individual, and so forth upon the pressing of a prescribed key when the trade name or trademark of the company, the name of the person, or the like has been entered at the application by way of the IME.
A system according to one aspect of the present invention, being a system for specifying a location on a communications network for use by a communications application that accesses the aforesaid communications network on a computer, is a system equipped with a character string capturing component that captures a character string selected by a user at a display screen of a computer, a location character string extracting component that extracts a character string representing a location on a communications network from the captured character string, and a location specifying component that specifies an extracted character string for use by a communications application, as a result of which the communications application operates and causes communications involving the location represented by the extracted character string to be carried out.
This system allows a location on a network to automatically be specified for use by a communications application and communications involving that location to be carried out upon selection of an arbitrary character string containing a character string (e.g., a telephone number, URL, e-mail address, etc.) representing that location by a user at the display of a computer.
In a preferred embodiment, there is another application on the computer; for example, a word processor or spreadsheet software or the like, which is different from the communications application and which is capable of handling text. The user can then, while performing some task at an arbitrary such application, select an arbitrary character string on a display screen at the user interface of that application and pass that character string to the character string capturing component. For example, a passage containing a telephone number might be selected within a document that is being edited in a word processor application, upon which a dialup application would be launched and the telephone number contained within the passage would automatically be dialed. In like manner, a facsimile-type communications application (hereinafter xe2x80x9cfax applicationxe2x80x9d) might be launched and facsimile communications automatically carried out.
A system according to another aspect of the present invention, being a system for specifying a telephone number for use by a dialup application on a computer, is a system equipped with a character string capturing component that captures a character string selected by a user at a display screen of a computer; a database containing a plurality of words and a plurality of telephone numbers linked thereto; a comparing component that compares a captured character string and words within the aforesaid database, and, if a match therebetween is obtained, selects a telephone number linked to a matched word; and a number specifying component that specifies a selected telephone number for use by the dialup application, as a result of which the dialup application operates and causes the selected telephone number to be dialed.
This system permits a telephone number previously linked to an arbitrary character string to be automatically dialed as a result of selection of that character string by a user at the display of a computer.
The present invention is typically carried out through use of a computer, and the computer program for accomplishing this may be installed or loaded into computer by way of any of a variety of media, including disk-type storage, semiconductor memory, communications signals, or the like. Furthermore, at least a portion of the present invention may be carried out using specialized hardware. Furthermore, the system of the present invention may be carried out on a single computer machine unit or may be carried out in distributed fashion over a plurality of computer machine units.